Fork Seal Driver for 86 500

I am waiting for some parts to show up so I am starting to get my sh#t together for a front end rebuild. I have fork seal kits in hand, not sure what I need to do with the anti-dive mechanism though. What to look for what parts should be in hand etc. I would also like to know what size (dia) seal driver is prefered if anyone knows. I have 41, and 38. The OD of the fork looks to be 38 as best as I can tell. Not sure how to interpret that to a driver.

Regards.

Took some time to do a little desert riding while on break from rebuilding and waiting for parts.

 

The forks are 37mm. I use an extra back up washer as an interface btween my driver and the bushings/seals so my driver doesn't have to be perfect. Just needs to fit the tube and go down into the fork slider opening. I use PVC pipe as my drivers.

The TRAC shouldn't need any parts. Be sure to inspect the bushings for excessive wear to the Teflon coating.

 

Happy day to you! Thanks, PVC Pipe seems to be the universal mechanics helper. I have to improvise a lot since I started my career as a carpenter. Wooden shop equipment! My KLR Custom Fork Tube Vise!

 

I've done VF, EX500, and FZR seals with this piece of PVC I've probably had well over a decade at this point. I have a dedicated 41mm driver for other bikes. A dedicated driver is nice, it's not a necessity though. Only seals I've ever had leak were when I really cheaped out on VF seals. That was a lesson learned.



Two pieces of advice from my experience--the only snapring pliers I've been able to get that circlip out with is the Motion Pro 08-0279.


And that circlip in there is (in my opinion) a really stupid design. If it gets corroded in place, it's tough to move. If it gets corroded to the point that one of the ends snaps when you're trying to get it out? You're f'd. And I've been f'd before to the point I had to drill through the lower and just threw the lower away at the end of it. I would replace the circlips regardless of how they look.

 

The chance of one of our snap rings getting back to that point is low, but changing over to a CBR style is a great option. Can always be levered out... or broken apart and extracted if degraded again.

 

Sweet I like that. Where do you find those?

 

I have one 41mm driver as well, and the same universal pvc driver as well. I have a circlip plier that works on my other bikes? What is so differenct about a Showa lower?

 

It's just very narrow in there, so those 90 degree pliers can actually reach the two holes on the VF standard circlip. The standard straight circlip pliers aren't going to get in there--at least the ones I tried. They were all too bulky and gave a bad angle. For something like the CBR-style circlips that Captain posted, you just pop that thing out with a screwdriver ezpz.

 

old seal on top of new seal protects and helps push it in place.

 

Which brand seals should be avoided? Anything non OEM?

 

Some bullshit ones I ordered from 4into1 if I remember correctly. I would recommend OEM. You want to get real fancy you can go SKF. Those are the only two I'm actually going to recommend to anyone.

I'm not going to go to battle and die on a hill for All Balls, but they've always worked for me.

 

About 8 years ago I completely rebuilt the CBR forks on the RC26 with only All Balls stuff as an experiment. Haven't had one issue, seals haven't leaked and the bushings haven't contaminated the oil by prematurely shedding their coating.

I have also used Parts Unlimited, Tucker-Rocky and BikeMaster seals with zero issues. They are all probably the exact same seal.

With fork seals, I have found it is usually cleaning, inspection, prep (stoning out dings) and assembly workmanship that is responsible for success. Of course there are likely just plain cheap, shit fork seals out there.